Updated: 04-12-2003

Background information on SCAR GSSG

One of the responsibilities of Geoscience Australia is providing leadership on on a number of important programmes within the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Geoscience Standing Scientific Group (SCAR GSSG).

The SCAR GSSG has been in existence (in one form or another) since SCAR was first formed in 1958 and its aim is to coordinate the mapping, surveying and geoscientific activities of SCAR member countries. In 1961 Bruce Lambert became the Chair of the Working Group and successive heads of National Mapping and Geoscience Australia have carried on this tradition.

In 1992 Drew Clarke took over as Chair of the Working Group and injected some much needed enthusiasm back into its activities. Successive restructures and the introduction of Work Programs and Projects with their own goals and specific activities have resulted in a number of key geographic information products, such as the Antarctic Digital Database and the Composite Gazetteer of Antarctic being produced and released. It has also resulted in the Working Group raising its profile both within SCAR and to the broader Antarctic scientific community - particularly the geoscience field which is becoming very interested in the use of GPS and geodetic techniques for measuring and monitoring crustal motion / deformation.

The WG-GGI met as a full group every 2 years at SCAR meetings along with the other 8 SCAR Working Groups and 4 Groups of Specialists (GoS).

At the XXVI SCAR meeting in Tokyo Mr Clarke was replaced as Chief Officer of WG-GGI by Mr John Manning, Group Leader of National Mapping Division's Geodesy Group.

Also at this meeting the SCAR Delegates received the Report of the ad hoc Group on SCAR Organization and Strategy entitled "Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research: preparing SCAR for 21^st Century science in Antarctica." The Delegates adopted in principle all of the 20 Recommendations made in the report. SCAR then produced a White Paper on the implementation of the Review.

At the XXVII SCAR meeting in Shanghai the restructure of SCAR was implemented. This meant that WG-GGI ceased to exist and its activities were amalgamated with those being performed in the Geology and Solid Earth Geophysics research areas.

Formation of the Geoscience Standing Scientific Group (GSSG)

The first meeting of the newly created GSSG was held on Thursday 18 July 2002.

Dr Phil O'Brien Petroleum & Marine Division, GA, was elected as the inaugural Chief Officer, Prof. Alessandro Capra from Italy was elected as Deputy Chief Officer and Prof Bryan Storey, from New Zealand, was elected as Secretary.

Mr John Manning remained in charge of geodesy and geographic information activities under the newly created Group of Experts on Geospatial Information (GIG).

Mr Glenn Johnstone, Geodesy Group, NMD, was elected as Chairman of the Communication & Outreach Action Group.

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